Automobile-top closure



J. A. DAAB.

AUTOMOBILE TOP CLOSURE.

. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, L919. 1,401,395, A Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET lm. M m T INVEN TOR.

WITNESS.-

J. A. DAAB. AUTOMOBILE TOP CLOSURE. APPLICATION FILED Inc. 10, 1919.

Patented De0."27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I N VEN TOR.

. ATTORNEYS To all whom-it may concern:

innrsn-sratns= rarssr or 1 JOHN a. IDAAB, or new YonK, n. Y.

A TOMOBILE-Tor onosnnn.

Specification of Letters Eatent. I Patented D636. 2?, 1921, f

Application filed December 10, 1919, Serial No. 343,846;

\ My invention relates to vehicle closures and has more specialreference to the provision of a closure adapteduto be used inconjunction with the usual. automobile, touring car top as providedbythe car manufaeturer. When my closure is used in con-' junction withsuch tops, a closed body'effect simulating in appearance the regulationclosed bodies is obtained.

While I am aware that side closures adapted to be used in conjunctionwith touring car tops are known, such tops are difficult to install, arenot generally applicable todifferent makes of cars and do not provide atight connection between the closure proper andthe touring car top."Most'touring car tops change theirshape through the.

stretching of the material; after use or through other causes. .Henceany closure appliance having a fixed configuration will not result in apermanently tight closure. I aim to provide-a closure of such characterthat the necessary adjustments and changes in configuration of theclosure may be.

readily effectedas occasion demands, to produ"e a structure which willcompare favorably in appearance with the so-called closed or winterbodies. My invention also contemplates the provision of means to obtainthe necessary ventilation by providing weather strips between thewindshield and the glass panels of my. closure of such character thatthey will'rem'ain in any position in which they are set, thus enablingthecar.

tilted position due to the inclination ofthe sides of the body, I haveprovided a loose hinge connection for the upper end of. the

cooperating panel so that theaxis of the panel connection may shift whenthe door is opened, thus permitting me to securethe lower portion of-thepanel frame directly to the n t M eraser al seat-sealant thereto.

' parts.

the provision of various adjustments which not only enable me tocompensate for the lrregularities of cars of a given make but also toapply the closure to cars of differentv make by slight variations in theconstruction. r

In the drawings which exemplify my in vention, j Q

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a touring automobile body having theusual touring cartop and showing my invention. as applied Fig. 2 is anelevation of one side of my closure means; i 3 is a section of Fig. 1 onthe line Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. l on the line 44.' I p 5 121g. 5 isa section of Fig. l on the line tion between the rear door and themovable panel secured thereto.- 1 V I Fig. 7 is a detail view partly insection, of the forward end of the top and adjacent Figs. 8 and 9 aredetail'views, showing the connections between the body and the panels. I

Fig. 10 is an edge view of the front door showing thelatch{con.nections, and

Fig, 11 is a detail section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings an automobile body 10 has the usual rear door11, fore'door 12, windshield 13, upstanding bows 14, rear bow 1 1 andfront-bow 15. The ,various bows supportthe usual foldable touring cartop 16 having the customary downwardly depending rear curtain 17 A fixedside panel indicated in its entirety by 18 is provided at the rear ofthebody 10, the same extending forwardly to theline of the rear edge ofthe side door l1. This panel 18 is made of transparent material such asglass, supported in a suitable frame or sash 19. The upper edge oftheframe 19 has secured to it 'a' strip 19 which projects outwardly beyondthefplane of the panel 18 and to structure I provide a piece of material20,

such as leatherette, and secure it to, the lower as ee? e e at th ite s19 b s ita H Flg. 6 1s a detail vlew showing the connecupholstery tacks21. Therear vertical edge of this finishing strip is provided withbuttonhole openin s 22 adaptedto engage the usual turnbuttons 28,usually provided on the inner face of the rear curtain 17. The loweredge or" the strip 520 is subsequently tacked to the body 10 as shown in1.

'l he strip 20 is also provided with the necessary openings 20 similarto those usually provided in the side curtains to receive the bracketssupporting the top bows of the car. The frame 19 or" the panel 18 issecured to the body 10 along the side of the rear seat cushion by asuitable bracket or angle iron 23 shown in Fig. 8. A similar transparent panel is secured to the body 10 along the side of the front seatcushion by a bracket 25 as shown in Fig. 9, while finishingstrip at ofmaterial such as leatherette connects the low end of the panel with thebody.

swinging panel 26 secured to the upper ofthe ear door 11 is providedbetween and abuts against the stationary panels 18 24. The rear uppercorner his panelis secured to a pivotally mounted hinge plate 2.7 whilethe lower end of'the panel is secured to the rear comprising twooverlapping" angle irons 29 and 80 (as shown in Fig. 6); The overlappingends of these irons are each provided with suitable slots 31 which areadapted to register with each other. A bolt 32 passes through theseslots and cks the irons to gether in any desired position. A. verticallyextending sway brace 33 connects the frame of panel 26 and thedoor 11 soasto furnish proper support for this panel. The transparent panel 26secured to the upper portion ot thedoor 11 is provided with a handle 34which operates the usual door handle in a manner which will be morefully explained in connection with the front door handle where it isfully illustrated. A transparent panel 35 similar to the pa elsheretofore described is secured to the 1 )er edge oi? fore door 152. Thelower end 0. this panel is so cured to the door 12 by a bracket 36 whileits upper portion carries a loop 37 which re ceives a downwardlydep-endingpivot pin 38 secured to a stationary filling strip to be described. A. stop 38 limits the forward movement of the upperend of thepanel 35, and cooperates with the fixed panel 24: to hold said panel 35against vibration when the door 12 is closed. This manner of pivotallysupporting the panel is to enable it to move freely with the fore door12 to which it is secured. The panel 35 is further provided with anoutside handle 39, the inwardly projecting shank of which has adownwardly depending fork 40 secured to its inside end. This forkengages the usual latch blade handle 41 as generally provided onautomobile doors. This construction enables the door 12 to be openedfrom the outside by manipulat- -closed, l

weather strip 42 one edge of which is 'sedoor 11 by a braclretQS inshandle 39 and from the inside by operating the blade handle ll. In orderthat the space between the transparent panel 35 and the windshield 13may be effectually provide a vertically extending cured to the panel 35by upholstery tacks 43 (see Fig. while its opposite edge enthe w l 13.order that the strip 1 2 may any predetermined position 1 provide iniilurality of transverse stiffening strips in, 1; eterabl of apliableinetal. The provision of the pliable rnetal stitlen'n gstrips enables meto bend the Weatherstrip to any desired position and thus provideventilation for the car when desired. order'to close the space betweenthe upper e ges of the transparent panels the A I i: provide fined lingstrip e6 having its lower edge conforming to the upper edge of o 0 theadjacen. transparent panels. ilhe filling strip 46 is secured to hstationary panel 2 2 in any desir d n anner, preferably by wood .crewsextendins through the upper rt of he frame of the panel and into the stip'as hown. The strip 46 is also secured to the racket 46 connected tothe horizontal portion of the front upstal ding bow 14-. and to thebracket e6 connected to the vertical portion, of the rear upstanding bowi i. In

rder to provide for any'variation in the touring; car top either as initally manufacor as created by subsequent use, I pro- .vide an extensionstrip 4'? having a notch 48 toreceive the horizontal portion of theZEC'I'".

ward upstandir. how 1%. This extension strip overlaps the main fillingstrip (as shown 111 ll. s. 5 and 11.) and is adiustably is extensionstrip enables me to secure a tight fit between v closure andthe touringcar In or er to provide for any variation in the length the-top, the ntport n ofthe strip ay at 1:9, indicated inl i 'v i able bloclt adaptedto ii is 'niove in this cutaway po. so'tliat i forward end may be toabut against the inner face of t e 'orward y projecting; now 15. L0 andis locked in adjusted position by ,1 crews xtending through the slotsinto the bracket 52 is securedto the a diu each or"; the strips a'thereto, preferably by wood screws.

This bloclr is fications in the details thereof, be applied with equallygood results to cars of other makes. The panel associated with the lefthand front door of the car may be fixed by brackets similar to thoseprovided for the other fixed panels already described. The lefthand reardoor may also have a panel, secured thereto in such a manner that thedoor is rendered temporarily inoperative. door open it is evident thatthe panel may be secured thereto in an manner similar to that employedin securing panel 26 to the rear door 11.

It will be quite evident from the foregoing description that therelation between the panels and the body and top of the touring car maybe readily adjusted so as to provide a Wind tight construction, whilethe various filling panels not only provide a finished effect to the carbut also enable a tight fit between the panels and the parts of the carwith which they are associated.

I claim:

1. The combination with a vehicle body having a top which is open at thesides, of a plurality of transparent panels between the top and body, afixed strip secured to some of the transparent panels, and an extensionmember adapted to be set in different positions with respect to thestrip to close the space between the top and fixed stri 2. Thecombination with a vehicle body having a top which is open at the sides,of transparent panels between the top and body, and extensible meanscomprising a fixed filler strip having a cutaway portion and anadjustable block in said cutaway portion, for closing the space betweenthe top and the panels.

3. The combination with-a vehicle body having a top which is open at thesides, of filler elements between the vehicle top and body, a fixedstrip havin its lower edge in contact with the upper e go of the fillerelements and having a cutaway portion at its forward end, and a blockadjustabl mounted in said cutaway portion and a apted to close the spacebetween the front end of the If it is desired to have this fixed fillerstrip and the front bow of the vehicle top.

4. The combination with a vehicle body having a top which is open atfiller elements between the top and body, and a fixed strip between thefiller elements and the top having a cutaway portion at its forward end,and a block adjustably mounted in said cutaway portion and adapted toclose the space between the forward end of the fixed strip and the frontbow of the vehicle top.

5. The combination with a vehicle body having a top which is open at thesides, of a plurality of transparent panels between the top and body, afixed strip having its lower edge in contact with the upper edge of thepanels, and having a cutaway portion, an extension strip between thefixed stri and the vehicle top adapted to be set in di erent positionswith respect to the fixed strip to close the space between the vehicletop and the fixed strip, and an adjustable block in said cutaway portionto close the space between the forward end of the fixed element and thefront bow of the vehicle top.

6. In a vehicle closure, the combination with a vehicle body having atop which is open at the sides and a windshield, of filler elementsbetween the top and body, and pliable ventilating means between thefront filler element and the windshield and adapted to be bent toprovide the desired opening for ventilation.

7. The combination with a vehicle body havin a top which is open at thesides and a winds ield, of filler elements in the side portions betweenthe top and body, a pliable strip that is capable of retaining variousshapes given it supported between the windshield and at least one of theforward filler elements, said pliable strip normally closing the spacebetween the windshield and adjacent filler element and adjustable tovariable positions permitting the desired ventilation of the interior ofthe body.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature.

JOHN A. DAAB.

the sides, of

